The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last updated: October 16, 2025 Pumpkin Spice and Pedals: Embracing Fall Rides Quick Take: Fall might be the best season to ride—cooler temps, golden views, and simple layers. With bright lights, a little extra tire grip, and a pocket snack, autumn rides are pure joy. There’s something magical about cycling in the fall. The blazing heat of summer fades away, the air turns crisp, and the trees begin their slow-motion fireworks show of red, gold, and orange. It’s when the road quiets, your jersey finally breathes, and every mile feels like a deep inhale. Why Fall Rides Hit Different Cooler temps = longer rides. Less sweat, less sunburn, and more comfort in the saddle. Nature is peaking. Leaf tunnels, morning mist, and golden-hour light make even easy miles feel cinematic. Coffee stops are elite. That first hot sip with slightly cold gloves? Perfect. Good headspace. Ideal for long thinking rides, short resets, or the last training block before winter. ...

Quick Answer: You don’t need fancy training plans to get better. Ride often, keep most rides easy, and stack them—one on top of another—so adaptation compounds. Last Updated: October 26, 2025 “Stacking rides” is simple: you add frequent, repeatable rides so your body adapts before those gains fade. It’s momentum, not masochism. A five-mile spin becomes ten. Two rides a week become four. Before long you’re stronger, leaner, and calmer on the bike—without white-knuckle training blocks. What Stacking Really Means Stacking isn’t grinding yourself into dust. It’s controlled consistency. Each ride lightly stresses muscles, lungs, and heart; riding again (before the effect disappears) tells your body to build back a little better. Skip too long between rides and the effect resets. Keep the rhythm and the gains compound. Why It Works (and Beats Occasional “Hero” Rides) Consistency > intensity: A week of steady, easy rides usually outperforms o...

Last updated: October 22, 2025 Quick Answer: Some days the wind just won’t quit. But after enough miles and conditioning, it stops being the enemy. The key isn’t chasing speed—it’s learning to stay steady when the wind hits from every direction. Cycling in Windy Conditions: What Years of Riding Taught Me Today’s ride was twenty-five miles—my next-to-last before heading to Albuquerque for the Day of the Tread. The weather couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. Somewhere between cool and warm, with that strange, swirling kind of Lubbock wind that refuses to pick a direction. North? South? No—just everywhere at once. It was one of those rides where you keep your head down and just pedal. You’re never really getting a tailwind, but you don’t stop to complain either. Every turn, it shifts again. It’s not dramatic—it’s just relentless. A test of patience more than power. Years ago, I used to dread this. I’d look outside, see the trees bending, and think, “Forget it.” But not any...

Quick Take: After 5,000 miles this year (and ~ 8,000 since July 2024), my 11-year-old knee replacement started hurting again. I was scared the implant had come loose. Bone scan says it didn’t: it’s soft tissue . I took four days off (which I hate), and I’m starting softwave therapy . I’m not quitting—just riding smarter, especially on hills. Last updated: October 17, 2025 I’ve been pain-free on this artificial knee for 10 years . They told me it would last 10–15 years . I nodded like a good patient and then did what I always do— ride my bike a lot . Since January 1st, I’ve put down 5,000+ miles . Since July of 2024, about 8,000 . That’s lovely… until this year, when the knee started barking again. When you’ve got a replacement and pain shows up out of nowhere, your brain goes to the worst corner: “It’s loose. The clock ran out.” I went for a bone scan . The result I didn’t dare hope for: the implant is fine . No loosening. The pain is soft tissue . Relief washe...

Quick Take: After decades of solo touring, I’m shifting to shared roads—Oklahoma Freewheel in 2026 and RAGBRAI in 2027. Same love of the open road, new kind of joy: community, stories, and pie. Why I’m Riding RAGBRAI and Oklahoma Freewheel Next Even though I’ve decided to hang up my solo touring shoes, I’m nowhere close to done chasing the open road. The difference now is the kind of adventure I want—one shared with thousands of riders moving toward something unforgettable. From Solo Tours to Shared Roads For years I chose the rhythm of planning my own route, being alone with the road, and letting each day unfold. Now I’m craving the laughter, the mid-ride conversations, and the festival energy that big events bring. In 2026 I’m riding Oklahoma Freewheel , and in 2027 I’m finally checking RAGBRAI off the list. Last time I rode a week-long event like these was BRAG — the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia — back in 2001 . That was 25 years ago this coming summer. The memor...

How Cycling Keeps Me Young at 70 SNIPPET: I turn 70 on November 24th, and I’m celebrating the only way I know how—by riding 70 miles. Not to be fast, not to prove anything, but because cycling still makes me feel alive. This is why I’m still riding strong after decades on the bike. I’m a little over a month away from my 70th birthday, and while most people are slowing down, I’m getting ready to ride 70 miles—one mile for every year I’ve been alive. Not because I’m the fastest or the strongest, but because cycling still gives me freedom, purpose, and joy. I’ve already ridden over 5,000 miles this year alone. All summer long, I trained for single-day events—30 miles, 25 miles, 35 miles, 47 miles. My focus was on shorter, faster rides to stay sharp. But after I ride the Day of the Tread in Albuquerque next Sunday (just a 25-mile ride), everything shifts. My training is about to change. No more chasing speed. It’s time to go long again. On November 24th—my 70th birthday—I’ll ...

Why Most Cyclists Quit After 60 — And How I’m Still Riding 150 Miles a Week at 70 Last updated: — Last updated: October 2025 — Expanded with new stories, internal links, and the complete senior cyclist toolkit. Quick Take: Most cyclists don’t quit after 60 because they lose interest. They quit because pain, fear, and slow recovery pile up—and no one shows them how to adapt. I almost quit too. By changing my pacing, putting comfort first, and treating recovery like part of the ride, I still average 150 miles a week at nearly 70 . You don’t need to ride harder. You need to ride different . Still rolling strong at nearly 70—comfort, mindset, and smarter riding keep me in the saddle. I’ve ridden more than 150,000 miles in my lifetime—and I’m still riding 150 miles a week at almost 70 years old. Here’s the truth most cyclists won’t say out loud: almost every rider I used to roll with has already quit. Not because they stopped loving the bike, b...

Last updated: October 15, 2025 Most riders you see are teachers, nurses, retirees,  parents—regular people chasing health and peace. Quick Take: A few cyclists act like jerks—just like in any hobby. Most of us? We’re normal people trying to stay safe, healthy, and sane. Tight jerseys are for comfort, not status. “Taking the lane” is usually survival, not arrogance. We are normal people just like anyone else. There’s a perception that cyclists—especially the ones in tight jerseys on pricey bikes—are snobby rule-breakers. I’ve heard it, I’ve seen it, and yes, a small minority earn the stereotype. But most riders are just regular people who fell in love with two wheels. We don’t think we’re better than anyone—we’re just trying to get home in one piece. What You See Isn’t the Whole Story Kit isn’t a flex—it’s a tool. Lycra stops chafing, wicks sweat, and keeps seams from rubbing you raw on long rides. It’s hiking boots for biking. “Expensive bikes” exist in every hobb...

Quick Take: Most high-end e-bikes are sold at bike shops—where you’ll get sizing help, warranty support, and hands-on advice. But buying online can save you hundreds if you already know what you want or you’re confident with basic assembly. Here’s the breakdown. Why Local Bike Shops Still Have the Edge Expert Fit & Setup: E-bikes are heavier and more complex than regular bikes. A shop makes sure motor settings, brakes, and battery mounts are dialed in correctly. Warranty & Service: If something goes wrong, a local mechanic can troubleshoot faster than shipping parts back and forth. Test Rides: You can feel the difference between hub-drive and mid-drive motors, throttle vs. pedal assist, and frame geometry before spending big money. Community: Many shops host group rides and service classes, especially for new e-bike owners. When Buying Online Makes More Sense You’re Mechanically Comfortable: If you can handle minor assembly, adjust derailleur...

She Looks Ready Because She Is: The Quiet Confidence Cycling Builds Last Updated: October 9, 2025 Confidence = Calm, Ready, and Earned. Quick Take: The kind of confidence cycling gives you isn’t loud. It’s built quietly—mile after mile—until hot, windy hills you once dreaded feel almost effortless. There’s something different about the kind of confidence cycling gives you. It doesn’t come from mirrors or applause — it comes from showing up, mile after mile, when nobody’s watching. I was thinking about this on my 35-mile ride today . About 25 miles in, the wind picked up, the pavement shimmered in the heat, and I hit a short hill I used to dread years ago. This time it felt… almost effortless. No tension, no bargaining — just rhythm. Days like this used to rattle me as a beginning cyclist. Now, after miles upon miles upon miles in every kind of weather and on every kind of terrain, I’ve quietly evolved into the rider this photo embodies...

Senior Cyclists Who Go to Rides Just for the T-Shirt 🚴‍♂️ Quick Take:  Some chase medals. Others just want a fresh T-shirt that says I was there. The miles fade, but the cotton lasts forever. The Shirt Riders Every event has a few — riders who show up year after year, not for the challenge, but for the tradition stitched across the front. They’re not pretending to be racers; they’re preserving memories one shirt at a time. For them, that shirt is a souvenir of belonging. I’ve met a few like that. One guy at the Hotter’N Hell registration line told me, straight-faced, “I’m just here for the t-shirt.” Maybe he meant it. Maybe he didn’t. Either way, I got it. The shirt is part of the experience — it says, “I showed up.” My Drawer of Memories I’ve got dozens of those shirts myself — single-day rides, fundraisers, long tours. Each one brings back a route, a climb, a face, a story. I ride for the road, not the cotton, but I wear those shirts proudly. They’re a reminder of all...